DAAD EPOS (Fully-funded) Scholarship for Master in Agricultural Economics, University of Hohenheim, Germany

Deadline for applications: October 31, 2022

Decision-Makers for Global Agricultural Economy and Agricultural Policies

This research-based and methods-oriented program deals with the economic and agricultural policy relationships between the agricultural and food economy, the environment, and rural areas. In this English-language and international Master’s program funded by the DAAD, economic growth, sustainability, and social justice are central topics, especially in an international and development-related context.

• Studies focused on methods and internationality
• DAAD funding program with full scholarships for outstanding applicants from developing countries
• Many different career possibilities for agricultural economists

Curriculum

1st Semester	2nd Semester	3rd Semester	4th Semester
Farm System Modelling (6 Credits)	Agricultural and Food Policy (6 Credits)	Elective Module (6 Credits)	Master’s Thesis (30 Credits)
Applied Econometrics (6 Credits)	Environmental and Resource Economics (6 Credits)	Elective Module (6 Credits)
Microeconomics (6 Credits)	Semi-Elective Module (6 Credits)	Elective Module (6 Credits)
Semi-Elective Module (6 Credits)	Semi-Elective Module (6 Credits)	Elective Module (6 Credits)
Semi-Elective Module (6 Credits)	Semi-Elective Module (6 Credits)	Elective Module (6 Credits)

Compulsory modules

Semi-Elective Module

Elective Module

Credits

More information about the individual modules can be found in the module catalog.

In the first year of study,
students complete the five compulsory modules:

• Agricultural and Food Policy
• Applied Econometrics
• Environmental and Resource Economics
• Farm System Modelling
• Microeconomics

In addition, five elective modules can be chosen from the fields of agricultural development, international agricultural trade, world food economy, agricultural and food policy, methods of empirical economic and social research, etc. Lectures are supplemented by computer exercises, group discussions, seminar papers, and case studies, which are worked out and presented in groups or as individual papers.

In the second year of study,
students can choose five further elective modules from a large catalog of subjects. This ensures a solid education in the sub-disciplines of agricultural economics, while at the same time providing sufficient freedom to put together a program that suits individual career planning.
The academic program advisors from among the instructors advise students on selecting their modules and planning their studies in order to make sure everything goes smoothly and progresses as planned.

In the second year of studies, the Master’s thesis is also completed according to the students’ chosen specialization.

Objectives

This degree program values a well-founded education in business and economic theories and methods as well as applying these to concrete problems and issues in the international agricultural and food sectors.

The degree program aims to educate agricultural economists in the following competencies:

• Theoretical concepts of agricultural economics
• Quantitative and qualitative research methods
• Integration of sustainability issues into policy analysis
• Interdisciplinary analysis of complex systems
• Communication and presentation techniques

About the DAAD-EPOS Scholarship program

The EPOS programme offers individual scholarships to participants from developing countries so that they may study development-related postgraduate courses at selected universities in Germany.

Background

Highly qualified local specialists who are interconnected with international partners play an important role in the development of their countries. They are pivotal for a better future with less poverty, more education, and better health for all.

However, many universities in developing countries are underfunded and overcrowded, and also the availability of top-level university lecturers and practice-oriented training programmes is often limited. It is against this backdrop that the DAAD created “development-related postgraduate courses” (EPOS), which are closely linked to practical experience. The programme supports rigorously selected graduates from developing countries with scholarships to study for an internationally competitive degree in Germany. These postgraduate courses have been going through discerning selection processes and have to reapply to the multi-institutional selection committee on a regular basis.

Programme objectives

Professionals and managerial staff from developing countries and emerging economies (list of eligible countries [pdf-file]) gain further qualifications on postgraduate courses to become future decision-makers and partners for Germany. This is the case for degree courses in all areas of expertise important for development and for solving global problems. It is expected that the graduates will be involved in international networks, working on solutions to national, regional, and global challenges. In this way, they will initiate and support development processes in the medium and long term.

In addition, capacity development in terms of supporting personnel and organisational development in partner countries will have sustainable development effects. For the participants of the programme, the postgraduate courses offer the necessary skills and qualifications to continually increase their performance and development capacity in their working environment. Graduates will act as disseminators passing on their experience and their newly acquired skills to others.

At the same time, the postgraduate courses contribute to the further internationalisation of higher education institutions in Germany. In addition, participants from partner countries will promote the transfer of knowledge from South to North by sharing their specific regional know-how with students, teachers and researchers, thus strengthening their competences in respect of the developing countries.

Funded projects/measures

The master’s and PhD courses which are currently funded by the DAAD can be found in the EPOS Brochure [pdf-file].

Results

The EPOS programme successfully supports specialists and managerial staff from developing countries. Since the programme was launched in 1987, more than 7,000 scholarships have been awarded, with about 50 per cent currently going to women. Well over 90 per cent of students complete their studies successfully and earn the academic degree they have worked for.
The results of a survey published in 2013 show that over 70 per cent of the graduates immediately return to their home countries or home regions after completing their studies. Some stay for doctorates or work in international organisations like the World Bank, GIZ, or Terre des Femmes. More than three quarters of the DAAD scholarship recipients stated that there even is a thematic link between their EPOS studies and their employment. In other words, the vast majority of EPOS alumni work in a professional environment where they can directly apply their acquired knowledge to issues of development cooperation while acting as disseminators at the same time.

In order to achieve the objectives of the programme more efficiently, the DAAD regularly evaluates the effect of its funding programmes. A comprehensive results-oriented monitoring system launched in 2014 helps to further improve the quality and transparency of our work.

More details / Official website: HERE